How to Live in Your Car (for the Survialist & 99% types!)

Living in a car isn’t something that anyone would recommend. However, when you get laid off, your emergency fund runs out, your home is foreclosed (or you get an eviction notice) and there’s nobody to help, living in your car might be the only choice, especially if you don’t feel safe at a local shelter. Unfortunately, in many places, sleeping in your car is not only frowned upon, but also illegal. Here’s how to get by until something better comes along. Remember, you are not alone and you have a vehicle. Lots of people have survived and even thrived while sleeping in cars

Steps 1-11 (packed full of info!)

Step 1: You can only live in your car successfully if your car works. You’re going to need a new or “newish” car or be a good mechanic to live in an older car. If you have an old car keep in mind that you’re liable to break down at an inopportune moment if you don’t stay on top of maintenance.

Step 2: Find a safe and inconspicuous place to park. First, check to see if there are any organizations or businesses in your area (or a nearby area) that designates parking lots specifically for people in situations like yours; For example, Wal-Mart allows people to camp overnight in their parking lots. It’s not only legal, but the organization might screen the people who use the lot, or even designate a women-only lot.

Source: survivingthemiddleclasscrash.wordpress.com...

Please refer to the main article for all the details and info. You may think I am being funny. But I am not. Read the complete article and think about being in about the lowest spot you can be, or the more extreme scenario.

I know, I know. anon72 is being a trouble maker... Making fun. well, do you think the people who are currently forced to be doing this EVER thought it would happen to them.

Also, you never know when S.is going to H.T.F. You car maybe you only option at the time.

But why would people want to live in their cars when they could just go live Henry David Thoreau style out in the forest or something, and possibly form a community collective?

I think it's no safer to remain in your vehicle.

I did this for 2 years. I had a full sized van with a bed. I joined a local gym for showers and to get back in shape. I did any gigs I could find on craig's list and such sites. I cooked food at local parks and fished when I had no money. I got free internet at McDonalds or other internet cafes. There are 24 hour laundromats. Sleeping is generally easiest in Wal-Mart parking lots. If you have any questions about what to do, let me know.

Living in your car blows. Iv been homeless too many times... IF its nice out though you should really camp, its much more easier when your reflecting on your life if your around a fire instead of in your car with the seat pushed back. not sure why.... good thread...

Originally posted by DeepThoughtCriminal
But why would people want to live in their cars when they could just go live Henry David Thoreau style out in the forest or something, and possibly form a community collective?

I think it's no safer to remain in your vehicle.

Living in the forest is hard if you don't have the skills. Even if you do have the skills, it is hard to make money and even to stay clean. Live in the forest if it is your long term plan to do so. However, you should keep your car either way.

Originally posted by DeepThoughtCriminal
But why would people want to live in their cars when they could just go live Henry David Thoreau style out in the forest or something, and possibly form a community collective?

I think it's no safer to remain in your vehicle.

doors that lock, no bugs crawling or flying into your sleeping bag, being able to turn on a heater for warmth, food and belongings in a locked and dry trunk, noise reduction, wind and rain protection...just a few advantages of living out of your car.

Originally posted by gadaffy
Living in your car blows. Iv been homeless too many times... IF its nice out though you should really camp, its much more easier when your reflecting on your life if your around a fire instead of in your car with the seat pushed back. not sure why.... good thread...

It was only really bad in the summer. Florida summers can be really bad even at night. I used solar panels to keep a jump box charged which I used to power an inverter and to charge some rechargeable batteries. I used those batteries to power 2 6" fans. Those fans helped a lot. It also helped that most of my windows had screens.

reply to post by DarthMuerte


Tell us more. Fascinating.

What about the Cops, security etc. They must be on the look out for this activity.

And, what about power. Other than solar?

reply to post by DarthMuerte


I had a friend who purposely lived in his van during the warmer season and lived much as you did. He called his van a "Tent on wheels."

He could either stay in the city or the country and lived a simple life.

At the moment, I am looking for a diesal powered used ambulance to convert...JIK the SHTF.

I did it for just a week when I traveled to San Diego.

Worst experience of my life.

I couldn't sleep the whole week no matter how hard I tried.

Drove up from Dallas straight through without sleep, stayed up for 6 days, and drove straight back without sleep.

I don't recommend that to anyone else.

Honestly, I'd rather find a nice dark, sheltered corner and crawl into a ball than try to sleep in a car seat. Something like a stair well and you hide in the darkness right before after hours. If you're clever, you can find decent places to rest, would be my thought.

A gym membership for showers is something stupid easy that I never thought of. Will keep that in mind if need be.

Originally posted by anon72
reply to post by DarthMuerte

 

Tell us more. Fascinating.

What about the Cops, security etc. They must be on the look out for this activity.

And, what about power. Other than solar?

No problems with security, and only hassled by cops one time. Once they checked me out, they let me go with no problems. I did keep my license, tags, and insurance legal the whole time. Florida lets you renew your tags 2 years at a time, so I did that while I still had money. I also reduced my insurance to the bare minimum required to drive.

Re Power: What else do you need? I can run my laptop, keep my phone and electric shaver charged, and keep my fan batteries charged. I cook at parks for the most part. I only recently started experimenting with solar cooking, I wish I had picked up that trick during that time. I learned minimalist living from staying in my van and learned to reevaluate what was really important in my life. Things own you, you don't own them. I have seriously considered going back to it, but I live basically rent free now.

reply to post by TDawgRex

I have kept a simple life since then and could go back to that life with 10-15 minutes notice. I have a concealed carry permit now, so I would not even be concerned about sleeping with a gun in the car now. Then I used to sleep with my K-Bar close to hand.

Originally posted by unityemissions
I did it for just a week when I traveled to San Diego.

Worst experience of my life.

I couldn't sleep the whole week no matter how hard I tried.

Drove up from Dallas straight through without sleep, stayed up for 6 days, and drove straight back without sleep.

I don't recommend that to anyone else.

Honestly, I'd rather find a nice dark, sheltered corner and crawl into a ball than try to sleep in a car seat. Something like a stair well and you hide in the darkness right before after hours. If you're clever, you can find decent places to rest, would be my thought.

A gym membership for showers is something stupid easy that I never thought of. Will keep that in mind if need be.

Not to belittle your experience, but someone once said "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail". You did not plan to sleep in your car, so it was a terrible experience. I know a guy now who sleeps in his Saturn. He does so very comfortably because he took out his back seat and sleeps with his feet in the trunk. He has some kind of mattress, I don't know what kind. Basically, he leveled the back area and put a mattress in so he could stretch out.

I don't drive, so no car
I have lived in a smallish boat on the great lakes for many summers
and I plan to do so again
Its the life I love

reply to post by unityemissions


Hiding in a cubby hole to sleep is no use if you snore...which you don't know you're doing while sleeping.

Just sayin'.

I have a small pickup wi a cap. used to pitch a tent and put all my stuff in the tent and sleep in the back of the pickup. small propane stove for ramen noodles, pbjs, occasional splurge at cheap buffet. if your thinking about this, try it on a long weekend to see how it works for you. can't have too many options.
good thread.

Lived in my car for a long time. I kept trying to hold on to jobs but had disabilities I refused to acknowledge, so I blamed the jobs and the people in them. But I kept trying and trying and trying. As best I could. So, I laid my passenger seat all the way back, and put a foam and blanket. It was pretty comfy. The thing is, STEALTH, blending in. I was in this situation from 1998-to-2003, and what I had to look out for every night was this: In any parking lot, a yellow construction looking type vehicle with a guy sitting in it. After I parked, those would start up and come and harrass me until I left. Or a truck with a guy just sitting there in it. One day, I found a little hidden parking space under a tree in back of a Fire Department. Every night I would whoosh in there as stealthy as I could. Just try to always be hidden. Check out YMCAs and other health clubs. Rec Centers. One rec center I found, I merely walked in there every day, and used their showers. For free. I had gotten a 'Mail Boxes Etcetera' 'address' and had a cellphone. 'Pay as you go'.

I lived out of my car for two summers while traveling and windsurfing all over the United States.

I had a mazda 626. I removed the back seat, sawed the metal x that was behind the trunk and built a platform on hinges so everything was level and I could comfortably sleep. I also fixed the trunk so I could open it by hand from the inside by removing the lock cover. Normally if I was sleeping in my car, I slept with the trunk open, but if it rained or I got cold I could close it in a moments notice.

I kept everything organized in Laundry baskets. If I slept inside I stacked them all on the front seats. Otherwise I would lay down a tarp and put one on each corner, one above my head and my sleeping bags, blankets and pillow in the middle.

I kept my water in 2 liter bottles and could normally bathe and shave comfortably on two bottles.

I used two back pack stoves to cook with. Kept them assembled and in a laundry basket, right behind the seat that I could reach while seated. It was so much fun to pull into a rest area, grab my stove, pan and water behind me and have a meal and a cup of coffee brewing in less time than someone could buy the same items from a convenience store without even getting out of my car. Often I would just carry the cooking laundry basket that contained the stove and common food items over to a picnic table and cook from there.

I had a roof rack for all of my windsurfing boards and sails on top the car. There was quite a lot of room I lived very comfortably, and was highly organized, never lacking in anything.

Makes me want to give up my job and go for it....

Maybe it would be an education experience beyond imagination.

I doubt the wife would go for it though.

"Honey,.... yes-I quit. Let's sell everything-put in the bank and go live out of the car for a few years. yes, our car. No I am not kidding. No Hotels baby.... We gonna rough it...but, with my recently accquired book of knowledge as our guide....."

That wouldn't go over too well, I am afraid. I hear you folks on the one person living in/out of the car but what about two, three, dogs/pets etc. I see a lot when I drive around.

You only have to rough it when you aren't organized. With proper planning and practice and a few modifications you can live better out of a car than a hotel.